Big thanks this month to everybody who came and attended our wonderful concerts during Katy Carr’s The Ribbon of memory Tour – Wstega Pamieci Tour 2017 in Krakow, Wroclaw and Warsaw and in Luxembourg. In this newsletter I am sharing with you all some lovely memories and look forward to seeing you all again soon at forthcoming concerts in the New Year 2018! Big thanks to our tour patrons and partners : the Pomnik AK w Krakowie – WWII Resistance Memorial in Krakow, Fundacja Wstega Pamieci – Ribbon of Memory Foundation, Polish Radio – Polskie Radio, Instytut Pamięci Narodowej (IPN), The Institute of National Remembrance in Poland, the Narodowe Centrum Kultury – National Centre of Kulture, Poland, The City of Krakow.

KATY CARR – THE RIBBON OF MEMORY – WSTEGA PAMIECI CONCERT TOUR 2017

COLLEGIUM MAIUS, KRAKOW

Fotos by Grzegorz from 6th Nov 2017 Aula Jagiellońska, Collegium Maius, Jagiellonian University, ul Jagiellońska 15, 31-010 Kraków which was a concert in honour of the Polish Professors who were transported to Sachsenhausen concentration camp for extermination in Germany at the beginning of WWII.

Below Katy Carr performs on a Steinway piano in honour of the great Polish pianist Ignacy Paderewski

Pointing to Queen Jadwiga of Poland, the only lady featured in the Sala Aula

KRAKOW. On Monday, November 6, at the Collegium Maius, a Katy Carr concert was held. The artist chose Collegium Maius as one of the stops of her “Memory Tour Tour”. Katy Carr got to know this place two years ago by making a video for the song “Polonia” from a CD with the same title.

Polish-British singer performed works inspired by historical events and tragic fate of Poles during the war. The artist performed well-known works such as “Little Little Flower”, as well as their own arrangements of Polish patriotic and military songs such as “Wojenko, wojenko” or “O my rosemary”. Katy Carr also sang with Mieczysław Święcicki “Grande Valse Brillante”, a song that once was performed by Ewa Demarczyk in Piwnica pod Baranami. Considering that the artist refers in her work to the most difficult moments of Polish history, and her concert fell on the anniversary of the arrest of professors In 1939, Katy Carr celebrated their memory.

An assortment of Fotos by Alicja Kondraciuk and Eliza Siegat from the concert on 11th November 2017 at the Filharmonia Krakowska in honour of Independence Day in Poland and Remembrance Day (GB) to commemorate the efforts of the Freedom Fighters who fought for an Independent Poland across the centuries. With special thanks to the concert partners : Ribbon of Memory Foundation, the City of Krakow and the Narodowe Centrum Kultury and with very great thanks to teh wonderful Passionart Orchestra. Katy Carr performed her songs with the PassionArt orchestra with over 150 musicians who are based in Krakow.

”Beautiful concert by Katy Carr. Very good organisation. Modern interior, comfortable armchairs, excellent sound system. Unfortunately, many people did not attend the concert because the tickets were already soldout.”

Last Friday we celebrated the 99th anniversary of Poland’s independence during an occasional concert organized jointly with the Mokotów District Office. Warsaw. Katy Carr, British singer and multi-instrumentalist of Polish origin, fascinated by our country and its history, sang to the audience, among whom we had the honor of hosting our World War II veterans, heros and heroines. The inspiration for Katy’s songs reflect important momentsin the history of our homeland through both cultural and military experience. Apart from the Katy’s song creations, there were no lack of pre-war Polish hits and through Katy’s fresh and new interpretations of our favourite songs the audience responded by giving Katy Carr and her group of Polish musicians several encores.

Alexander Smaga for the film projections and visuals. loking forward to returning to you soon!

Review of Katy’s performance from Ancien Cinema, Luxembourg

GB

Katy is a great live performer and her very intimate concert at the Ancien Cinema, Vianden (LU) was both captivating and inspiring. She is a devoted retro lover but above all she is an original songwriter and composer. Many of her original songs, illustrated with documentary films that she dig out from various European archives, are dedicated to those humble heroes of Poland whose stories of great courage deserved not only a tribute but also its legend. Katy has that amazing talent of transforming histories to emotions that allow them to live with us much longer than any textbook would do. Katy alive seems to sounds better then in her records and not only entertains but simply touches your soul.

Rest In Peace to our dear beloved brother and friend Benny Wajcenburg. I lit a candle for you Benny in Krakow your home town. RIP and thank you for your kindness and love of your homeland Poland. I dedicated a song to you at my concert at the Krakow Filharmonia on 11th Nov 2017.Filip issued this statement

My good friend and fellow Pole Benny Wajcenburg passed away last night. Benny a native of Krakow and a survivor of The German Holocaust came to the U.K after WW2 with The 2nd Polish Corps. Prior to his stroke he returned to his Jewish Faith. I have fond memories of taking him to many of North London Shuls. Benny Wajcenburg epitomised how easy it was to both a Proud Pole and a Jew of great kindness, warmth and compassion for others.

Below Photo with Filip, Benny and Katy Carr at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London, England

RIP HENRY JULIAN BUDZYNSKI

RIP Henry Julian Budzynski Thank you for your kindness and friendship and loyalty to your Polish roots and community. You always supported my music, werew there at my album launches, encouraged me to write music – this is such a tragic loss and we miss you so much RIP dear friend ✨✨✨⭐️⭐️ This 11th November was the birthday of Henry Budzynski a friend of George Lesniak. George and Henry were due to march past the Cenotaph in London with 25 other Poles to honour the memory of the Polish soldiers who fell in the European Theatre of WW2. Tragically Henry passed away earlier this month in a truly untimely death, a true Polish patriot who will be missed by many. RIP Henry

lovely memories – so very sad you are gone RIP DEAR FRIEND HENRY

Thanks again for all your support of my music and keep in touch and take care – see you soon!

KATY IS A PROUD PATRON OF THE Pomnik AK w Krakowie – WWII Resistance Memorial in Krakow PLEASE SUPPORT US ! ))

Katy Carr is an award winning British recording artist and has released 6 albums. An Ambassador of Polish history in Great Britain, her recent albums Paszport (2012), ‘Polonia’ (2015) are inspired by the Polish WWII experience. In 2016 Katy was awarded the Pro Patria medal for her humanitarian and musical work.